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From Joe Obukata Ogbodu, Warri
A civil society organisations, comprising Itsekiri groups and stakeholders from the oil-producing communities, have insisted on a centralised pipeline surveillance system, saying it remained the most effective model for Nigeria’s pipeline security.
At a press conference in Ugbuwangue, Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State, yesterday, they opposed the ongoing calls for the decentralisation of pipeline protection contracts, warning that decentralising surveillance responsibilities across multiple communities would complicate coordination and expose critical oil infrastructure to greater risk.
Chairman, Itsekiri Liberation Group (ILG), Mone Oris, who read a joint statement by the various leaders, stressed that the framework established under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 already provided a balanced structure that supports both professional surveillance and community participation without compromising operational integrity.
Other signatories to the statement include Bobby Omadeli, National Coordinator, Itsekiri Grassroots Coalition (IGC); Itse Omajugho, Chairman, Host Communities, Itsekiri chapter; Ajemijeroma Mene-Ejegi, Delta State Peace Movement (DSMP); Sam Oki Metsh, Chairman, Itsekiri Youth for Good Governance (IYGG); Mone Oris, Chairman, Itsekiri Liberation Group (ILG); Felix Amatoritsero, President, Warri Social; Issac Eyengho, Iwere Voice IIV and Mrs Noyor Juliet, Oil Producing Host Community Voice (OPHCV).
“The Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 establishes a carefully balanced framework for securing Nigeria’s oil infrastructure, built on three interlocking pillars, comprising commercial viability, host community integration and national security.
“Within this structure, surveillance is not treated as a distributable community benefit, but as a specialised security function requiring professional competence, operational discipline and unified command,” the groups said..
They noted that while Section 257 of the Act recognises host community roles through the Host Community Development Trust, such participation is designed to complement, not replace professional security operations.
They warned that attempts to fragment surveillance responsibilities would weaken the system.
“Disaggregating surveillance responsibilities across multiple community groups would complicate coordination, dilute accountability and potentially expose critical infrastructure to greater risk,” the statement added.
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Citing past experiences, the coalition said Nigeria’s pipeline surveillance architecture had evolved through trial and correction, noting that earlier, community-driven models yielded limited success before the adoption of more structured and accountable systems.
The statement emphasised that community inclusion remained vital, but must operate within clearly defined institutional frameworks.
“The PIA provides a clear answer: community engagement must operate alongside, not in place of professionally managed security systems,” the coalition declared.
The stakeholders appealed to proponents of decentralisation to reconsider their stance in the interest of national stability and sustained oil production.
They also expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for awarding pipeline surveillance contracts to indigenous operators such as Pipelines Infrastructure Nigeria Limited and Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, from the Niger Delta, describing the move as both strategic and inclusive.
“Our appeal is that we are not in support of decentralised pipeline protection. We know what such decentralisation has done in the past. The centralised system is the best way to go. We have seen how it has helped in boosting oil production in the past few years.
“We appeal to the conscience of those clamouring that the contract should be decentralised to see reason and give peace a chance to sustain the rise in crude oil output,” Mone added.
Itse Omajugho, Chairman of Host Community of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas (HOSTCOM), Itsekiri chapter, while addressing newsmen, said that community participation is already embedded in the current system.
“The contractors are not doing it themselves, they go to the communities directly and work with the community leadership, so the communities are fully involved. Decentralisation is not the issue, it is involving the communities that is the issue. Whether you like it or not, the production is going up,” he said.
